


Winter Dance

by paupotter_4869



Series: The Most Important Thing. . . [18]
Category: The Last of Us (Video Games)
Genre: Banter, Dancing, Dancing Lessons, F/F, F/M, Father-Daughter Relationship, Guitar lessons, Lessons, Music, One Shot, Teasing, Winter dance, bringing them those missing scenes of happiness the two deserved, joy, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:27:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28246137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paupotter_4869/pseuds/paupotter_4869
Summary: Joel convinces Ellie to play at the Winter Dance. . . And then offers some more lessons to enjoy the night with their friends :)
Relationships: Dina/Ellie (The Last of Us), Ellie & Joel (The Last of Us), Joel (The Last of Us)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: The Most Important Thing. . . [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2033674
Kudos: 16





	Winter Dance

**Author's Note:**

> All credit to Naughty Dogs. I do not own anything.

The evening chores had begun quite early for one Joel. He’d have thought his duties for tonight began and ended with him playing his guitar in their little band, but he couldn’t have been more wrong. 

Maria had summoned him almost two hours before the official start of the dance, so he could give a hand out setting the tables, chairs, food, and drinks. When he discovered the truth behind his early summoning, Joel almost turned around back to his place, if it weren’t for Tommy. They were supposed to show a good example and manners in front of the kids and other townsfolk, and that included helping out whenever it was needed. 

Luckily, other townsfolk had shown up early, Alicia included amongst them. Her being there, sharing the same tedious chores, did help a little bit. Joel tried to keep his grunts and complaints to a minimum as they worked together dragging tables and chairs to and fro, and then poured himself a generous glass of scotch. 

“Liquid courage?” Alicia teased him, bumping gently against his side. 

“Some,” he granted. “You?” 

“Are you truly questioning my cooking right now?” she demanded in disbelief, hands on the waist. 

“Apologies, ma’am,” Joel hastily apologized. 

He poured another glass for her and she burst out laughing boisterously, although the next second, she took a good look around for any prying witnesses, grabbed the glass, and hid behind Joel from Maria’s judgmental eyes. 

She drank it all in one sip before returning the glass to Joel. 

“I do hope that, despite your duties as one of tonight’s main musicians, you’ll have time to dance a song with me,” she said, warning in her voice. 

“Of course, ma’am. Maybe even two,” Joel winked at her. 

At that moment, Alicia called them out for slacking from the other corner of the room, and they split their separate ways: Alicia helped out hanging the banners and decorations, while Joel climbed on a ladder to check on the lights. 

His back was beginning to resent all the work and the struggling when Henry and the rest of the band came in—in time for some last-minute arrangements and preparations, too. That concluded Joel’s input in playing housewife and decorating the ballroom. Instead, he picked up his guitar and joined them in a corner. They went over the music and the lyrics of the songs they’d be playing in front of the whole town, oblivious, perhaps, of the room slowly but gradually getting more and more crowded by the minute. 

There was something that distracted Joel from their rehearsal—or, more accurately, someone. He saw Ellie the moment she walked in with Dina, Jesse, and a few more teenagers, laughing a something Joel had missed. He did approve with a nod of his head her bringing her guitar as he’d instructed. She was not skipping this one. She’d gotten away before, leaving in the middle of the night without saying a word to anyone, and he wouldn’t allow it again. He’d been trying to prepare her for this event and, whether she believed so or not, she was more than ready to stand up that dais and play. 

“Come on,” encouraged Martin. 

For the time being, it was their turn to provide the evening’s entertainment, the background music people could talk, sing, and dance to. 

A roar of applause received the five musicians and singers, as everyone lied down their glasses and dishes shortly. Joel and the band bowed once, and began playing the first song of their long repertoire. Some people sang with them, although they would need some more time and encouragement to baptize the dancefloor. 

Maria and Tommy were, in fact, one of the first couples to step in and dance. From then on, dozens more followed suit: couples, friends, family members. It was a beautiful and magical atmosphere, what with the warmth of the heat, the excellent food, the good-hearted laughter and amicable conversations, the free booze, and the music. Soon enough, most people forgot about embarrassment, allowed the ambiance to go to their heads. . . And let their hair down in order to enjoy the evening. 

Not everyone, really, Joel grumbled. The one person he kept checking in had remained in a darkened corner after gobbling down an insane amount of food. 

“I’m going to take five,” he said when they finished the song. “Drinks, anyone?” 

“Sure,” said Ophelia, raising her hand. 

Joel nodded, putting his guitar down gently. He needn’t any more indications—they’d spent enough time together for him to know everyone’s choice of drink. 

The beverages would need to wait, however. Joel jumped down the dais and headed straight to Ellie’s corner, while the band began a whole new song and the dancing resumed, too. He had to stop a few times to shake the hands of some neighbors appreciative of their playing. Trying to shrug them off nicely, he made her way to the girl, who in turn pretended not to see him cross the whole room. 

“Evening,” he said, clearing his throat. “Having fun?” 

“This ain’t my sort of thing,” Ellie said. 

“Maybe playing is?” 

“I am not ready,” the girl scoffed, throwing an incredulous look over to the band players. 

“And when will you be?” Joel retorted. 

“Next year, maybe?” she suggested, the desperate plea clear in her eyes. 

“Next _song,_ more like it,” was Joel’s response, grabbing her by the arm, always gentle. “Come on, grab your guitar. You’re going to love it.” 

“I sincerely doubt that.” 

“Ye of little faith,” scowled Joel. Before he was forced to drag her across the ballroom and make a scene no one was interested in witnessing, he turned around and tried another angle. “We made a deal about tonight, you and I. You’re not going back on your word, are you?” 

Ellie scoffed and took five seconds, looking for a way out— _any_ way out. In the end, she sighed deeply and, without a word, took her guitar. Joel, afraid that saying the wrong thing would make her change her mind, turned around and led the way back through the room. Somewhere in the crowd he even caught Tommy’s attention, who nodded in approval and encouragement upon seeing Ellie with her guitar. Joel wasn’t the only one rooting for the girl tonight. 

Making a detour to grab some drinks for everyone, Joel and Ellie waited against the wall until the band finished the song. Ellie took her guitar and started stretching her fingers, going over the chords she knew by heart. To Joel’s taste, she was way too tense and her shoulders too stiff to manage to play the song properly—much less enjoy the experience. 

“Try to relax,” he whispered. “We’ve practiced the song ad nauseam. You’ll be fine.” 

Finally, the song ended and he dragged her up to the stage. He maneuvered her amongst the instruments to find her spot. He was wise enough not to put her front stage, instead, he allowed her to hide behind him and Jason. 

“Welcome aboard, kiddo,” the man greeted Ellie, winking at her. 

Unable to answer, Ellie simply nodded. She thanked no one was expecting her to sing, for her mouth was completely dry, and tried to clear her throat as Joel hung the guitar over her shoulder. The band players took a short interlude, thanking the appearance of the alcoholic beverages, and wiping the sweat off their faces and instruments under the spotlights. It also gave the dancers a chance to rest for a bit. 

Soon enough, they were all ready. Joel addressed Ellie one more look over the shoulder and then gave them the cue. 

“Three, four, five, six!” 

It was as if they’d practiced the song for days on end--which, incidentally, they had. Ellie didn’t miss a beat, didn’t miss a single chord, and even if she had, no one in the audience would have noticed so. Their neighbors and friends were more concerned about having a blast tonight and pretending they knew how to dance. 

By the time the song ended, Ellie was sweating, but smiling broadly. She was finally enjoying the dance as much as everyone else was. Seeing her relax and glow, grow used and joyful, made a smile grow on Joel’s face, too, equally big as Ellie’s. 

“Please, a round of applause to the one and only, Ellie Williams!” Jason yelled when they finished the song. 

The girl bowed as thunderous applause erupted, hiding her blush behind the hair falling over her face. She was smiling triumphantly and that’s why Henry thought it safe, provided with Joel’s permission, to ask Ellie if she wanted to play another song. 

“We didn’t practice any—” she tried to refuse, panicking, throwing Joel one look. 

“Yes, we did. I just didn’t tell you they were for the Winter Dance,” the man replied. “Joy to the world, everyone.” 

Ellie ended up playing a total of four songs before she gave up—because she truly didn’t know any other songs. Having fulfilled her end of the bargain at greater length than previously agreed, Joel let her go. She met Dina and her friends, confessing she didn’t know what had come over her, and they all scattered. She went straight to grab some food to stuff her face with. 

Throughout the next few songs, Joel followed Ellie’s movements around the room, saw the neighbors and friends congratulating her for the effort and overcoming the stage fright. He was happy to see that the glimmer of proud excitement never vanished from her eyes. 

A little while later, Joel excused himself again and went to find Ellie. She was once more in a corner, trying to avoid banal chitchat with neighbors and friends. . . But she was still glowing. He knew convincing her playing was the right move, even though it involved twisting her arm a little bit. It was the same leap of faith Sarah took when she started to learn cycling with two wheels instead of four—and both girls did it because they had complete trust in him. 

“Joel! You were right, that was amazing!” she said. 

“Was it, now?” 

“Yes,” she confirmed. “And I don’t say ‘you were right’ very often, so savor them for now.” 

“Alright,” he chuckled, pouring himself another drink. “Although I have another question for you: is playing the only kick you’re going to get out of tonight?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“This is called the Winter _Dance,_ after all, ain’t it?” 

The panicked face Ellie regaled him with made Joel chuckle to the point where he had to put down his drink. He now understood the second reason why Ellie abhorred the idea of tonight’s event—other than the whole being nice to friends and neighbors part. 

“I wasted my days teaching you the wrong skill, I see,” he reflected. “Come on, kiddo. Let’s go.” 

“Joel, I don’t—” 

Grabbing her hand, he pushed her through the crowd, towards the dance floor she hadn’t come anywhere near close to. Without listening to her complaints, he stopped right in the middle of the dance floor, right by Tommy dancing with Maria and Alicia dancing with Charlie. He forced Ellie to stand tall, just as proud as she did while playing up there on the stage, and waited for the next song to begin. 

Although, back in the day, he prided himself on his dancing skills, that prowess had been lost somewhere in the past twenty years. That, plus the lack of training with his dancing partner, made that first song a little awkward for Joel and Ellie, messing steps, stomping on each other’s feet one way too many. Despite their failures, they managed to find amusement in their disastrous first attempt and spent the dance laughing. No one else minded. In fact, all they could see around the room were joyful faces and broad smiles. 

It did get better by the second dance, and then the third. When the song began to fade, Joel could feel Ellie was distracted by something else, and did his best to hide the smug expression off his face as they drew to a halt. 

“Why don’t you put into practice this new set of skills you’ve just mastered?” he suggested. 

Ellie looked confused for about two seconds. Before she tried to pretend, though, Joel interjected her, waving at the general direction where Ellie’s friends—Dina included—stood. He marveled at seeing how fast the colors rushed to Ellie’s cheeks upon being busted. 

“Either that, or you come back with me to the stage,” he whispered in a dare, knowing Ellie would never refuse a challenge. 

In an attempt to encourage her non-verbally, he squeezed her hands once. He’d have given her a hug hadn’t there been in front of the entire town, of course. And, with that, he bid farewell and left Ellie in the middle of the room, in search of the person he _had_ vowed to dance with tonight. The members of the band would survive without him for a few more minutes, surely. 

He found her in the corner, sharing a laughter and a drink with Larry. Joel stepped in and cut off the conversation without a care in the world. 

“Can I have this dance, ma’am?” he asked, bowing formally. 

“Well, I do believe you’d promised me a dance,” Alicia said amusingly, putting down her glass of wine. “Do you mind?” 

“Not at all,” said Larry, out of courtesy. He came up with some excuse to make himself scarce and so, Joel took Alicia’s hand and brought her to the dance floor. He wasn’t her first dance, unfortunately, he’d seen her from the stage with some other friends and neighbors, but he took some solace knowing he wasn’t breaking his word with her. 

By the corner of his eye, Joel caught Ellie and Dina partnering up, too. The two girls looked just as nervous and confused as he was feeling—and he had the slight advantage of actually knowing how to dance. Still, he realized many people’s eyes were on him at that moment, Tommy’s included. He felt more apprehensive and cohibited down there with Alicia than up on the stage with the band, right under the spotlights. 

The feeling only grew when he felt Alicia’s hands on his body. He tensed and his mind seemed to forget how to breathe, much less how to walk, talk, or dance. For some reason, he tried to pull away, but Alicia kept him close. 

“Where did you go?” she asked in a whisper. “It is but one more song.” 

Breathing again, Joel nodded in acknowledgment. He’d played dozens of songs tonight already and danced with Ellie. Nothing new under the sun. He sort of remembered the steps for a simple waltz—and everything else, he could just improvise on the spot, just like every other townsfolk did. The crux of the matter was, as he’d told Ellie many times before, simply. . . To have fun. 

“Let’s do this,” he whispered back, just as the first bars started playing.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it !! Always thought it would have been a nice touch having Ellie AND Joel play at the Winter Dance. . . :)


End file.
